Yokai Love Story
by Kuroheit
Summary: A tengu (Chuuya) and nine-tailed fox (Dazai) fall madly in love, but the fox pushes the tengu away in order to protect him. Feeling nothing but betrayal the tengu seeks revenge. However, with the bind on his powers the tengu is unsure whether or not he will ever come face to face with the fox again. If he does, he vows to make the fox pay with his very life for abandoning him.
1. Chapter 1

**You guys know the drill, I don't own the rights to Bungou Stray Dogs or any of the series wonderful characters. I only wish I did.**

* * *

The pair of yokai watched the humans go about their daily lives. It appeared to be an amusing pastime most days. However, there were no exciting events occurring on that particular day.

"Chuuuyaaa~ this is boring," the bandaged, nine-tailed fox whined.

The short tengu closed his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh, "what exactly do you want me to do about it? The last time I carelessly used my powers to cause a natural disaster I was banned to the human world for however long it would take to clean up my mess. I don't wish to repeat the same mistake twice. Especially for your lazy ass." He added the last part sharply.

Despite his words, Chuuya got a little something out of his minor banishment. He seemed quite taken with human fashion trends. Upon his return to the sacred mountains he was sporting a black leather choker, and a pair of black gloves. Dazai never understood Chuuya's taste in clothing, and he was pretty sure he never would.

"There has to be something fun to do around here, right?"

Chuuya turned his back on Dazai. He tucked his wings in while crossing his arms, "how should I know?"

Big mistake.

The tricky fox was up to no good as per usual. He walked a few steps closer to the lovely red-haired tengu, using the end of one of his tails to wrap around Chuuya's waist. Then, another tail dared to squirm passed the safe guard of the tengu's sash. At least a fourth of the tail was in Chuuya's pants. His mind was too crowded with thoughts for him to force his body to move.

Dazai moved his tail to cup Chuuya's rear before it darted between his legs to caress his member. A devilish smile spread across the fox's face. That is, until Chuuya finally turned to give Dazai his scariest death glare.

"If you do not remove you fucking tails from my body I will electrocute you on the spot with a devastating thunder storm," there was a note to his voice that said he wasn't joking.

Dazai reluctantly removed his tails with a frown.

"If the clan doesn't need us right now, why can't we go off and do something erotic?"

"Over my dead body," Chuuya tsked.

"But you know you love me!" the tengu didn't reply to Dazai's claim.

Instead, he walked off by himself to ponder some things. The fox wanted to chase after him, but he had other business to attend to. More important business that still involved his beloved tengu.

A war would soon break out among the many yokai clans. Their leader wanted them on the front lines taking everyone else down. Their name alone evoked an impressive amount of fear. If the two of them were to use their abilities to defend their clan, then most enemies would be sure to run away in sheer terror. At least, that's what Mori was convinced.

Except there was one issue Dazai had with the whole idea; he didn't want to risk Chuuya's life no matter how strong he proved himself to be. His power to cause natural disasters was certainly nothing to trifle with, but his sacred power was far worse. Activating those powers would spell the end for every yokai involved in the war, including himself.

Only Dazai's power could stop him, which is why they were the invincible duo known as Double Black. Yet Dazai feared being separated from Chuuya in the midst of the war. Should that be the case, he wouldn't be able to stop Chuuya's power from consuming him entirely. He already suffered from the loss of a close friend once. He wouldn't be able to handle losing the only other important entity in his life.

It was an indisputable fact, the mischievous fox loved the temperamental tengu.

* * *

Chuuya found a tall tree that caught his eye. He flexed his dark wings, darting towards the very top of the tree. There he sat to contemplate some things that had been on his mind. Like Dazai, for example. Or rather, his feelings towards said fox.

The tengu loved Dazai more than he would ever let on. He had a feeling the fox already knew. Why did it have to be so difficult to express himself around Dazai?

"It would be easier if he wasn't such a damn pervert," Chuuya puffed his cheek out in annoyance. The tengu was more of a romantic, and Dazai adored teasing him. An explosive combination.

So explosive that Dazai ended up calling Chuuya a "tsundere" once. Chuuya looked at him with a puzzled expression because he had never heard that term before. Dazai filled him in with an explanation that almost got him drowned in a sudden flood.

"I nearly killed him for that stupid comment," emphasis on nearly. "Not like I haven't done anything like that before."

He sought an answer up in the treetops, but the more he thought the further away his answers seemed to be.

"I could confess the next time I see him," he proposed to his racing thoughts. For whatever reason the new idea scared him. He didn't want to ruin his current relationship with the fox. Half of that sounded absurd to him, and the other half made complete sense.

"At the rate I'm going I should just take a nap."

The branch he was sitting on began to feel a bit uncomfortable anyhow. He flew down to the base of the tree to sit in the shade, and press his back against the trunk. He nodded off within a few minutes.

By the time Dazai came looking for him, Chuuya was curled up in a tight ball beneath the tree. His wings were flush just as tightly to his back. Soft snores were the only indication that Chuuya slept peacefully.

The fox sat down next to him, gently tugging Chuuya's head into his lap. The tengu instinctively brought one of his arms up to rest on Dazai's lap too. Dazai used his tails as a makeshift blanket to cover Chuuya. The tengu snuggled in closer thanks to the newfound warmth. Dazai couldn't help but to smile at the scene playing out before him.

"And here I was going to rudely wake you up. Guess I can't do that now," Dazai looked over his shoulder just to make sure a tornado wasn't headed his way. He was relieved to see a clear blue sky, and trees rustling in the wind.

The two yokai stayed like that for several hours. The fox now itched to wake the tengu up. However, he reminded himself that he needed to savor whatever time he had left with Chuuya. It didn't matter that he was awake or asleep even though Dazai preferred one over the other.

Chuuya woke up after another hour passed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the hand closest to his face. Then, he let out a small yawn not quite noticing the situation he was in. When it registered who's lap he was laying on he bolted upright, blinking in disbelief.

"Oh, you're finally awake," Dazai noted.

A blush crept over Chuuya's face, "h-how long have I been out?"

"About four hours. It could have been longer because you were already asleep when I found you."

Chuuya attempted to put some distance between them, but failed due to his limbs being entangled with Dazai's tails. He flinched from one of the tails adjusting his shirt, cursing himself for acting so weak and defenseless. It wasn't like Dazai was trying to get frisky with him (for once). He only meant to stop that part of his shirt from slipping down his shoulder any further.

"I have something I want to tell you," his words made Chuuya's heartbeat speed up.

The tengu forced himself to relax, "what is it?"

"I want to visit the human world tomorrow. Would you be willing to come with me?"

Was he asking him on a date? That couldn't be right, but maybe? Maybe the next day would be the right time to tell him.

"Yeah, sure. I'll go with you," Chuuya made up his mind.

"Excellent. We leave in the morning," Dazai untangled his tails from Chuuya. Although, he ached to hold him close. Not wanting to jeopardize his plan he left the tengu's side for the time being. Tomorrow would be there last day together.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I'm not sure what happened to writing about other pairings, but here I am back with another Soukoku fic. I blame Pinterest because I've seen tons of amazing fanart where Chuuya is portrayed as a tengu, and Dazai is portrayed as a nine-tailed fox. The art was just that good that it inspired me to write this new fic. Let me know what you think, and I'll be sure to write more for this fic in the near future.**


	2. Chapter 2

There wasn't a remedy in existence to ease Chuuya's nerves. He should know considering he spent a majority of the night searching for one. Before he realized it there were only a handful of hours left until sunrise, and he wouldn't be spending them sleeping.

The exhausted tengu flopped onto his futon regardless. Perhaps he had a chance to convince himself to doze for even just an hour. Chuuya closed his eyes, but thoughts about spending the day with Dazai refused to leave him alone.

"Fine! Since I can't go to sleep I'll take a nice hot bath instead," he left the comforts of his futon to fetch a change of clothes.

Once he was convinced he had everything he needed he flew to a secluded hot spring. There weren't going to be many other yokai out at the current hour, but Chuuya liked his privacy.

He happened to stumble upon the hot spring a month or so ago when he decided to walk a different route in the forest below the mountains. To his knowledge, no other yokai had used the spring before. Otherwise, their scent would be all over it.

The tengu set his clean belongings down before stripping completely naked. He tested the temperature of the water with his big toe. It never failed to satisfy him, he simply had an odd habit of checking to be on the safe side. One never knew when they might have to scope out a new hot spring.

He climbed into the spring, letting the warm water ease any tension from his body. Especially his wings. More often than not, they grew sore quite easily. He submerged himself further into the water. Only his head and the top of his wings stayed above the water's surface. Chuuya was filled with content. Nothing could disrupt his blissful relaxation.

Another mistake. There was indeed someone to disturb the hot-tempered tengu.

"What's this? Too busy thinking about me to get any actual sleep," a familiar melodic voice chimed.

Chuuya blinked once, and there the nine-tailed fox was at the edge of the hot spring, soaking his feet in the soothing pool. The tengu groaned louder than he intended. So much for having a secret spot all to himself.

"Not happy to see me?" Dazai pouted.

"Depends. I was really enjoying my alone time. And it's not like we weren't going to see each other later on," Chuuya replied.

"Fine then. I'm going to steal the clothes you brought so that you have to chase me all the way to the human world in the nude," the fox teleported away from the edge of the hot spring to stand before the pile of Chuuya's clothes.

"I won't bother trying to hunt you down, bastard. I'll return home, and spend the rest of my day lazing about," he warned.

"You're no fun," Dazai whined, but he wouldn't be able to complain for much longer.

He was treated to the sight of Chuuya's naked body emerging from the depths of the water. Utterly transfixed by the drops of water running down the contours of the tengu's lean body.

"Stop staring, waste of bandages," a blush began to color Chuuya's cheeks. He folded his wings forward in order to cover up the front of his body, which forced the fox out of his trance. "At least let me get dressed in peace," to his surprise, Dazai actually allowed him to do so.

"Are you ready now, chibi tengu~?"

"Bite me, stupid fox."

"That can be arranged."

Chuuya felt a wet sensation against the crook of his neck. He initially intended to smack Dazai, but when sharp fangs nibbled on his skin a soft moan escaped his lips. The tengu flew from Dazai's embrace, clutching his night clothes to his chest in midair.

"I need to drop these off before we make our appearance in the human world," he said in a rush, taking off without a second notice.

Dazai followed Chuuya from a safe distance. His mind remained focused on the moan the smaller male made. That one sound was music to his ears. He wanted to hear more noises like that from his favorite tengu. Although, his wish was sure to be denied.

Chuuya dumped his clothes into his room, and debated whether or not he should hide at home all day. He immediately scrapped the idea because Dazai already knew where he would be, and would more than likely drag him out.

 _Remember your confession_ , his thoughts rang, but that did nothing to build his confidence.

The tengu willed himself to exit his room. He was going to the human world with the fox even if it killed him.

"Oi, Dazai. I'm ready to leave," the short tengu called to the distracted fox.

"About time. Have you finished prettying yourself up for me?" he teased while opening a portal between the two worlds.

"In your dreams," Chuuya retorted just as he jumped through the portal.

"You might be right about that," Dazai whispered to himself, closing the portal once they safely made it to the other side.

The two yokai already masked their features to blend in with the humans. Although, they didn't have much to conceal to begin with. Chuuya need only hide his wings. Whereas, Dazai had to hide a set of nine tails plus a pair of ears. Casting such a spell was child's play for the renowned pair.

"What do you wanna do first?" Dazai asked.

Chuuya knew exactly what he wanted to do. He picked up the gloves and choker last time, but what he didn't impulse buy was one particular hat. Now he had the opportunity to buy the hat if it were still available (he sincerely hoped it was). His fellow yokai would make fun of him for the decision, but he could care less.

"I want to go hat shopping," he stated with a sense of finality.

"Hat shopping? Ugh, you already have an awful fashion sense. Why make it worse?" Dazai groaned like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I can go by myself," Chuuya's voice grew quiet. The exact opposite of what his voice normally did.

"No, I'll go with you," Dazai assured. "I can at least make sure you pick up a tasteful hat," he paused briefly, "Or we could go out to eat."

"Hat now. Food later," Chuuya insisted.

The fox held his hands up in mock defeat.

They walked around the port city of Yokohama, browsing through all of the apparel shops in the area. For whatever reason, the tengu was window shopping rather than going into any of the shops. Dazai assumed he must have seen the hat on display during his last visit. He almost kept walking until he realized Chuuya wasn't right next to him.

He stopped and turned to see the redhead's gloved hands pressed against a display's outer glass. His blue orbs wide with excitement as he peered at the item on the other side.

"It's here," he breathed. "They have it right here!" he sounded like a little kid who couldn't wait to get his hands on a new toy. Dazai smiled fondly at seeing how awestruck the tengu was.

The fox strode over to Chuuya so that he could examine the dreadful hat Chuuya deemed worthy enough to fuss over. It was a black hat, no surprise there, with a red hatband. Dazai took a moment to roll his eyes. Of course Chuuya would settle for that color combination. The hat also had a silver chain on one side that hung over the brim. If he were being honest, it wasn't the most terrible hat he had ever seen, but he wasn't going to give the tengu the satisfaction of knowing what he really thought.

"Awful. Simply awful," Dazai said, shaking his head back and forth.

"Piss off," Chuuya growled.

"Are you sure you want me to do that? I was going to buy it for you."

"You can't be serious," Chuuya had a feeling Dazai was fucking with him.

"Oh, I'm very serious. It's a gift after all. I don't have to like what I'm buying as long as the person I'm buying it for likes it."

The pair walked inside of the store. The tengu refused to believe Dazai until he witnessed the other paying for the hat. The exchange went smoothly enough. Dazai hadn't acted like he was disgusted to be handling the hat. Before Chuuya realized it, the fox placed the hat on top of his head.

"Where's my reward?" Dazai arched an eyebrow.

Chuuya had no idea what to say to that. So the brunet used his hand to lift Chuuya's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. Then, he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on Chuuya's lips. There was a lot of tender love behind that one kiss, leaving the redhead a flustered, blushing mess.

Dazai broke the kiss, standing up straight while he sensuously licked his lips, "let's eat." With a wink he turned on his heel to exit the shop.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I was thinking about making this chapter longer, and ending it on a big cliffhanger, but then I thought it would be too soon for _that_ to happen. Please enjoy the fluff while you can because I'm switching gears somewhere in chapter three. **


	3. Chapter 3

***WARNING* A bit of graphic content towards the end. Not extremely detailed, but just to be on the safe side.**

* * *

"Have you decided where we're going?" Chuuya eventually asked. He felt like they were walking without a real destination. Fortunately, the weather was nice. A cool sunny day greeted them while they roamed.

"I'm so glad you asked because I have, but it's a secret," Dazai held a finger up to his lips, indicating he had no intention of ruining the surprise.

"Better have good wine," the tengu muttered.

"I don't think anywhere in Japan is going to satiate your craving for French wine. Unless a restaurant specifically had it imported."

That got Chuuya's hopes up. On the other hand, what were the odds that Dazai picked a place that imported their wine directly from France? Slim to none, probably.

Dazai stopped walking and Chuuya ran right into him because he wasn't paying attention.

"Oi, warn me next time," Chuuya rubbed his sore nose.

"It's not my fault you didn't watch where you were going," Dazai sung to get under the short tengu's skin. "Besides, we're here," Dazai pointed out before Chuuya had time to retort.

He gazed at the restaurant before them, his heart skipping a beat. It had French themed restaurant written all over it. A scaled model of the Eiffel Tower stood in the display window. A scenic background stood behind the model, showcasing photographs of mainly Paris.

Chuuya was so stunned that he couldn't peel his eyes away from the sight. It was magnificent, and arranged with the utmost care.

Dazai took the opportunity to tease the occupied tengu. He stood behind Chuuya, wrapping his arms around the smaller male's waist. To his disappointment, he didn't get much of a reaction. Dazai placed a hand against Chuuya's chest, slipping it inside of his shirt. The tip of his finger passed over a nipple, perking it up. Chuuya shuddered under Dazai's touch.

The fox wasn't quite finished. He pinched Chuuya's perked nipple between his thumb and pointer finger. The tengu sucked in a sharp breath. His body growing hot from the contact alone.

"Sh-shitty Dazai... Stop it," the redhead squirmed. "This is not the time, ngh... or place."

"We can change that," the fox whispered hotly.

"What about food?"

"I think I'd rather eat you instead."

Chuuya elbowed Dazai in the stomach to stop the situation from escalating any further. Dazai released his hold on Chuuya, doubling over thanks to the blow he received.

"Y-you got me," Dazai said weakly.

Chuuya spun on his heel, stomping to the entrance of the restaurant. He flung the doors open, disappearing inside of the fancy building. One of the wait staff asked him if he would be dining by himself, and he was tempted to say yes. Despite the fact that he was having a difficult time dealing with Dazai, he informed the wait staff that there were two of them.

"My friend suddenly started feeling a little under the weather, but I'm sure once he gets everything taken care of he'll be joining me in a few minutes," Chuuya explained as politely as he could.

Two glasses of water were brought to the table Chuuya was seated at. He scanned over the menu trying to decide what to order. Dazai found his way to the table at one point or another, and sat down across from Chuuya.

"And here I thought you would be drunk off of red wine by now," Dazai grinned, but it wasn't his regular shit-eating grin. It felt like it was lacking somehow.

Chuuya merely rolled his eyes at the comment, "as you can see water's about the only thing on the table." He gestured towards the two glasses.

The fox glanced at the menu in his hands, "what are you getting?"

"You'll find out when the waiter takes our order," the tengu replied.

This time, Dazai carefully looked through the whole menu to determine what he was going to order.

Their waiter appeared after a few minutes had passed.

"What can I get started for you gentlemen?" he inquired, ready to scribble down their order on his small notepad.

"I'd like one order of escargot to start, and I'd also like to get the trout."

"A side of fries or a salad?"

"A salad, please. Oh, and a glass of red wine," Chuuya added.

The waiter turned towards Dazai, "and for you?"

"I'll have the steak frites with a side of french fries," the fox smiled pleasantly at the man.

"Very good. I'll get that started for the both of you right away," he walked off to place the order for them.

The fox and the tengu stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Chuuya couldn't stop his body from writhing under Dazai's scrutiny. He wished Dazai would say something, anything, to break the tension. Their staring contest lasted up to the point of the escargot being delivered to their table.

Chuuya dug in, using the food as an excuse to ignore the fox's intense gaze.

"Chuuya, please don't hate me," Dazai said softly.

The tengu was about to slurp his third snail down when Dazai's words registered, "what the hell? Where did that come from? I never said I hated you." He placed the shell back on the plate.

"But you might," the brunet insisted.

"Not unless you give me a good reason to." Chuuya didn't know why Dazai was acting so strange. He seemed fine earlier, but something bothered him in the present. The tengu couldn't put his finger on what though.

"Do you trust me?" were the next words spoken by the fox. Genuine fear danced in his chocolate brown eyes. It almost looked like he had seen a ghost, which was ridiculous taking into account they were both powerful yokai. A mere spirit wasn't enough to frighten them.

Chuuya nodded because words failed him in that moment.

Dazai stood from his chair, placing a certain amount of money on the table. Then, he reached for Chuuya's wrist, pulling the short redhead out of his seat. Without any warning, Dazai broke into a sprint dragging Chuuya with him.

The tengu was thankful enough they hadn't tried to pull a dine and dash. Morever, he was irked that he only got the chance to eat two full pieces of escargot.

"Forget the escargot. I at least wanted the wine," he dared to complain.

"I couldn't risk you getting tipsy," Dazai pointedly interjected. "Not in a situation like this."

"Tipsy? Tipsy after one glass of wine!? You've got to be joking!" the tengu pulled his wrist out of the fox's grasp.

"Now isn't the time," desperation coated his voice. "We can argue about this later."

"Tell me what's going on," Chuuya demanded. He wasn't going to budge without an explanation.

"I-It's too late," Dazai's voice was shaking. "I'm sorry, Chuuya."

He activated his ability, caressing Chuuya's cheek. The tengu could feel the bind on his powers almost as if his own gravity were weighing him down.

"What the fuck?" Chuuya snarled, but in the blink of any eye the fox was gone. There wasn't a single trace of him in the vicinity. Yet Chuuya could have sworn Dazai's touch lingered on his cheek.

"Dazai? Where are you? Come back! This isn't funny! A really shitty practical joke if you ask me..." tears stung the corners of his eyes. He hated how those kinds of feelings welled up inside of him, threatening to boil over.

The tengu leaned against the side of a building that helped make up an alleyway. He expected his back to meet solid brick, but that wasn't the case. Bones scraped against the side of the building. The bone structure that made up Chuuya's wings to be exact.

"Fucking bastard!" the tengu roared. "He half-assed using his fucking ability!"

Dazai was in such a hurry that he hadn't been able to fully activate his ability, which is why Chuuya's wings were not completely suppressed.

He didn't know how he was supposed to blend in with skeletal wings protruding from his back. Especially since Dazai left him stranded in the human world. Well, there was one way. One painfully brutal way.

Chuuya gripped one wing in each hand. He took a deep breath, and pulled as hard as physically possible. The pain was there, but he wasn't doing any actual damage.

Once he turned the love he had for Dazai into burning hate the adrenaline kicked in.

He crushed his wings in a tightening grip, yanking them from his back. His skin split open, showing the bleeding muscle beneath. When he pulled his wings as far as they could go he snapped the bone connecting the wings to his back.

Agony decimated Chuuya's entire being. He cursed Dazai for leading him on, abandoning him, and to top it all off, leaving him with the burden of tearing out his own wings. It was achingly obvious that Chuuya was never going to be able to fly again.

 _Chuuya, please don't hate me._

He easily recalled the fox's words, "hate you? I fucking loathe you, asshole. I can't believe you couldn't even do me the fucking favor of tearing my wings out for me. No, that would have been a kindness a selfish bastard like you would never grant!" tears and snot streamed down his face. There was no use holding back his grief when there was no one to witness his break down.

Soon after Chuuya passed out in the alleyway from a mixture of anguish and blood loss. His skeletal wings crumbling away into dusk, courtesy of Dazai's ability.

* * *

 **Author's Note: If it ever seems like I haven't updated in a while it's mainly because I'm super busy, and not because I've totally given up on writing more of the fic. I wanted to put that out there because originally I didn't think I would be able to get this chapter out on time. I try to update after a week of the previous chapter being out, but that could be subject to change.**


	4. Chapter 4

"How are you feeling?" an unrecognizable voice asked.

Chuuya almost didn't hear the voice. He was barely awake, and it felt as if his head were stuffed with cotton. Not a pleasant feeling in the slightest.

"Like shit," the tengu replied without a second thought. He didn't care who exactly it was that he was speaking to. Though once he opened his eyes he would find out, but his eyelids experienced an absurd amount of weight. It proved difficult to even crack them open.

"That's understandable. Especially considering the state you were in when I found you," the voice agreed.

Chuuya finally managed to open his eyes. He was greeted by calculating, crimson orbs. Definitely the stranger's most striking feature when compared with all the white he sported.

"Who are you?" the redhead's question came out scratchy. His throat was as dry as a desert. Where was a tall glass of ice water when he truly needed it?

"How rude of me. I should have introduced myself sooner. My name is Tatsuhiko. Tatsuhiko Shibusawa. I found you unconscious in an alleyway, and decided to bring you to the nearest hospital for treatment," he explained.

It took the tengu several moments to respond, "thank you... You didn't have to do that."

"No thanks necessary. There was so much blood that I thought I was too late. Fortunately, I checked for a pulse just to be on the safe side," Tatsuhiko smiled kindly. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you?"

Chuuya's heart ached from the memory of Dazai abandoning him. "I don't remember," he lied.

"Probably for the best," the white haired male reasoned with a few nods of his head.

"How long have I been here?" the shorter male wanted to know. Had a couple of days passed? Maybe weeks? Or had the terrible occurrence only happened hours prior?

"You've been asleep for two and a half days. I talked to one of the nurses, and she told me they were going to release you sometime tomorrow. Grand news, isn't it?"

Except it wasn't.

"Yeah..." Chuuya trailed off. He was stuck in the human world with no place to call his own. Hell, he needed money before he could do anything else.

 _Shit._

How much was this hospital stay going to cost him? He couldn't afford one single yen let alone thousands of yen.

The tengu refused to show that kind of weakness with someone else present, but he really felt like crying some more. He honestly didn't think he had more tears to shed. Clearly, he was trying to prove himself wrong.

"Something the matter?" Tatsuhiko inquired after he witnessed the obvious change in Chuuya's demeanor.

Chuuya came up with a pathetic lie to tell the man that saved his life. Although, he did not like it one bit. Lying wasn't his thing. Just then, a clear image of Dazai presented itself to Chuuya. If he knew anyone good at lying it was, without a doubt, Dazai- the devious nine-tailed fox.

"You see, I was living with a friend for quite awhile. We were casual roommates that got along _most_ of the time. Without any warning, he kicked me out of our apartment. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly caused him to do it, but I guess I shouldn't dwell on it too much. What's done is done. As for me bleeding out in an alley, my assumption is that I got jumped. There's even a chance I got drunk, and tried to start something without realizing it," the short tengu offered Tatsuhiko an awkward smile.

"No place to stay, huh?" he used his pointer finger to tap his chin while he thought about a possible solution. "Aha! Why not stay with me?" Tatsuhiko proposed.

Chuuya tried to hide his shock by schooling his features into one of nonchalance, but it wasn't working in his favor.

"Excuse me?" How could he be offering to share his home with a complete stranger? And now that Chuuya thought about it, he was pretty sure Tatsuhiko had no inkling of what his name was. He hadn't asked, and Chuuya hadn't thought to give it. Common courtesy be damned thanks to his run of shitty luck. "I mean, I appreciate the offer, but we hardly know each other." And trusting others right away might prove difficult for the tengu.

"Apologies for being so formal, but I don't mean forever," he held his hands up in surrender. "What I meant was, long enough for you to get back on your feet."

"No, I know what you meant... I, uh, was surprised is all. Can you blame me?" he raised his brow, anticipating a response.

"I suppose not. Had our situations been reversed I'm sure I would have reacted similarly. But getting back on topic, if you agree to my suggestion I'll have to ask a few questions to get a better understanding of what you're going through."

Chuuya took all the time he needed to think the offer over. It was the best chance he had at making it anywhere in the human world. Not to mention, he could always wait for a better opportunity to present itself. Until then, living with Tatsuhiko was all he had to work with.

He took a deep breath to steady himself. "Okay," he agreed. "What else do you wanna know?"

"Are you old enough to work?"

"Yeah," at least he hoped he looked old enough. He would have to determine a believable human age on a later date.

"Do you currently have a job?"

"I was in the middle of looking for one before I got kicked out. No one has gotten back to me either so I don't really know if I'll be getting one anytime soon."

A job, huh? The tengu never thought he would have to hold down a job to support himself. But it wasn't like he hated the idea. Some of the yokai he knew were spoiled brats that had zero interest in doing physical labor. He was pleased not to be one of them.

"I couldn't help but notice you have little to no belongings on you. Is most of your stuff at the apartment?" This question wasn't like the others. The white-haired male was actually showing a considerable amount of concern.

"Well, um..." _Shit. I have to think of something fast._ "He refused to let me take any belongings with me except the clothes on my back." _God. I sound so fucking helpless._

"Do you want me to go get some things for you?"

"That's okay. There isn't anything there I'm especially attached to. Once I start working I can buy the essentials, and go from there," which struck him as a decent plan.

"Alright, if you say so," Tatsuhiko conceded. "Now, since I haven't bothered to ask yet; what is your name?"

"Chuuya. Chuuya Nakahara," replied the tengu. His name being one of the very few things he had no reason to lie about.

"One last question, Chuuya." He patiently waited for whatever words the taller male chose next. "What's is something you are fond of?"

"France," he wasn't sure why he said it. He could have said wine just as easily, but that was his answer.

"Perfect," Tatsuhiko beamed. "I'm rather fond of France myself. I think we are going to get along exquisitely."

* * *

"Where is he, Dazai-san?"

The nine-tailed fox chuckled, "Like I'm going to tell you. There's a precious cost for information like that, and I don't think you're willing to pay such a price."

"Big talk for a half-dead yokai. Not to worry, I won't gain anything by killing you now. I still have plenty of use for you."

Dazai kept his smirk going even with his vision swimming. His body started to shut down from enduring torture for so long. He craved for his dreams to be about his gorgeous redheaded tengu.

Alas, his brain decided to conjure nightmares instead. Reality being the nightmare. The same image continued to replay over and over and over again. The image of his beloved Chuuya tearing out the skeletal frame of his wings from his back. The sight broke Dazai's heart for the... he couldn't recall how many times, but it was enough to leave his own heart a longing, bleeding mess.

His ability never acted up before. Why in the world did it mess up at such a crucial moment? He forced himself to return to the yokai realm that day instead of turning back, and cradling the broken tengu in his arms.

It was then he realized how selfish he was being when he begged Chuuya not to hate him.

"Go on and hate me, Chuuya. I won't blame you for it."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thanks to the holidays I'm super busy, but here's a new chapter! This fic does seem to be taking me a bit longer to write so my progress is slow. I hope you're excited to read the chapter, and enjoy. Also, Happy Holidays for anyone reading that celebrates around this time of year.**


	5. Chapter 5

Tatsuhiko stepped into the white hospital room. He expected Chuuya to be awake due to the eagerness of being released from the hospital. However, he found that the small redhead slept soundlessly.

Peering down at Chuuya, Tatsuhiko brushed a red curl out of Chuuya's eyes.

"Tatsuhiko?" the voice on the other line tried to snag his attention.

The taller male snapped himself out of his daze, readjusting the hold he had on his cellphone, "yes?"

"Is everything going accordingly?"

"Why, of course," he frowned. It sounded like he was being deemed incompetent. "I'm guessing everything is going well for you too?"

A pause. "I'm having the most fun I've had in years. Thanks for asking," with those final words the line went dead.

"As pleasant to have a conversation with as always," he closed his eyes, and released a sigh. Once he hit the end call button on his phone, he slipped it into the pocket of his trousers.

Chuuya's fatigue was beginning to wear off. He slowly opened his eyes. Whilst letting out a yawn, Chuuya waved at the white haired male.

"Good morning," Tatsuhiko beamed. "Feeling any better today?"

As if in response to the question, the tengu's back twitched with discomfort. "Better than yesterday," Chuuya returned Tatsuhiko's inquiry with a half smile.

"Hopefully I can brighten up your mood with a tour of my home."

"Guess we'll have to wait and see."

Not long after, the nurse brought Chuuya his discharge papers. He wrote his signature wherever they needed him to, then handed the paperwork back to the nurse.

"What about the hospital bill?" the tengu heard himself ask. He needed to know, but at the same time he was afraid to hear the answer.

"Your friend over there already took care of it since you didn't show up in any attainable records," the nurse said, eyeing him suspiciously. Chuuya couldn't stop himself from averting his gaze. Luckily, she left the room without pressing him for any details.

"You haven't lived here for very long, have you?" Tatsuhiko was trying to make sense of Chuuya being off any and all records in Yokohama.

"You're right, I haven't." Granted, he lived in the realm of yokai all of his life, making it practically impossible for him to show up on any human records.

"Don't tell me you actually hail from France," a hint of jealousy could be detected behind Tatsuhiko's words.

Chuuya reluctantly made a further comment on the subject, "farther than that, believe it or not."

"Ah, we're getting into personal matters. Sorry. You don't have to tell me where you originally came from."

"Thanks. I'd rather not talk about it. Not yet, anyways."

 _Fuck. I shouldn't get his hopes up. Telling him about the yokai realm would be useless. He'd most likely have me locked up before believing me._

"Shall we get going? I'm sure you don't want to be cooped up in here longer than you have to be."

Chuuya nodded. No need to stick around and raise more suspicion about himself.

The two of them headed out of the hospital. The tengu had to follow Tatsuhiko's lead since he never bothered to explore the interior of said hospital. It didn't take long for them to reach the parking garage. They took the elevator to the third level.

 _Damn. All this shit's too modern. I think I feel a headache coming on._

Chuuya couldn't help but notice just how out of place he must look to everyone else. He was the only one wearing traditional Japanese clothing. Yet, no one bothered to comment or poke fun at him so maybe he didn't look that strange after all.

"Here we are. The passenger seat should be clear. As long as I remembered to throw my belongings in the trunk," the taller male pressed a button on his keys to unlock the car.

Without thinking, Chuuya gaped at the vehicle before him. He admittedly knew next to nothing about motor vehicles, but there was something about this one that filled him with awe.

"I take it you noticed what brand of car it is," Tatsuhiko said with appreciation coating his voice. Not quite, but the tengu ran with it anyhow.

"It's a Peugeot. One of the finest French cars. Though, I'm sure you already knew that."

That explained why he was drawn to the car as soon as he laid his eyes on it.

"It's exquisite," Chuuya breathed, still a bit stunned.

"I'm glad you think so," his whole manner warmed due to Chuuya's recognition of the fine car.

The short redhead climbed into the passenger seat while Tatsuhiko got himself situated in the driver's seat. The parking garage itself wasn't too busy, and it was early enough in the morning that traffic did little to slow them down.

Altogether, it took about twenty minutes to reach Tatsuhiko's home. He parked in front of a small, quaint French style house.

 _Big surprise there_ , Chuuya mused. But if the interior was just as lovely as the exterior, then who was he to complain?

There were plenty of windows, plus a careful combination of slants and points; mainly for the roofing of the house. Chuuya started to get the impression Tatsuhiko lived a life of luxury. A life of luxury he was willing to share with someone else the, tengu had to remind himself.

"Come on in," the white haired male invited once he unlocked the front door.

Chuuya stepped through the arched door, walking into a classy living room. White couches and chairs surrounded a square coffee table. There was a fireplace positioned towards the back of the living room, and a glass chandelier overtaking the middle of the room's ceiling. The walls were decorated with tapestries and paintings. All of the pieces in the room tied together nicely with a mixture of cream and bronze.

"Looking forward to seeing the rest, I hope?"

The tengu would be lying if he said no.

* * *

"Do you feel like giving me any info today, Dazai-san?"

"The Great Demon is back already? You must really like me," the nine-tailed fox snickered.

"How's your right arm doing?" the oni ran a finger down the bleeding mess of muscle. "Your own blood has tainted your once pure, white bandages." Dazai winced from the contact. "If you're not in the mood for a conversation I can peel the skin off of your other arm," the oni suggested. "Maybe rip off a limb. Crush a few bones. I'm not really sure what I'm in the mood for. Perhaps all of the above."

"As cruel as ever, Fyodor-san," he didn't sound bothered by any of the oni's torture methods.

"You know as well as I, that I'm going to get my hands on Chuuya Nakahara and wipe out all of the yokai factions who are brainless enough to oppose me. Seeing as I've already captured you, it is my belief that your mafia friends are done for."

"Believe what you want. Your carefully thought out plan will get ruined eventually," Dazai sneered.

"All of the above it is," Fyodor determined, ignoring Dazai's comment. He refused to allow the fox to get the better of him.

The oni gripped Dazai's left arm. His sharp nails pierced the flesh beneath them. Once Fyodor firmly embedded his nails in Dazai's skin, he gradually peeled the skin back.

The nine-tailed fox writhed in agony, but the torment was only just beginning. He desperately tried to bite back a howl.

Fyodor feasted on the other yokai's despair. He peeled the rest of the skin off as thoroughly as he had for Dazai's right arm. Next, was the act of dismemberment.

"How would you like to have eight tails instead of nine?" his voice dripped with venom. The foxes eyes dilated with unease.

The oni grabbed a hold of his iron club. His free hand clutching one of Dazai's tails. He used his club to mangle the fluffy, white tail into a bloody pulp. Each scream Dazai couldn't contain left his throat raw, and his voice hoarse. They were both amazed he remained conscious for so long.

Fyodor promptly jerked the mutilated tail from Dazai's body. He performed the action quickly enough that the nine-tailed fox didn't immediately register the new injury. It hit him moments later.

 _This is how Chuuya must have felt. It hurts... It hurts so much. No one should ever have to experience this sort of torment. I'm sorry, Chuuya. Genuinely sorry... I promise._

Tears left messy streaks down Dazai's face.

The oni either pretended not to notice or simply didn't care.

"Huh? What was the final item on my list? Oh, yes. Now I remember. I need to crush some of your bones before I'm through with you for the day."

This time, Fyodor drove his iron club into one side of the fox's ribs. He applied a sufficient amount of force to break most of Dazai's ribs on impact. The taste of metal flooded Dazai's mouth. He coughed up a dangerous amount of blood.

"You've done quite the number on him, Dos."

"When did you sneak in here, Nikolai?" Fyodor dropped his club, and turned to face the uwabami.

"Not very long. I only got to glimpse the way you battered his ribs," Nikolai smiled sadistically.

"Since you're here, call for one of our healers. I can't have that poor excuse for a fox dying on me," the oni said as he strode out of the torture chamber.

Nikolai dramatically bowed at the waist, indicating he wouldn't waste any time carrying out the order.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I actually have some story notes this time. First of all, I would like to note that since little is known about Fyodor's ability I'll only be using his oni characteristics. Unlike Nikolai, whose ability has been introduced in the original manga. So his ability will probably make an appearance in the my fic. Also, if you aren't familiar with the yokai I assigned to Nikolai it is a giant snake. It is said that uwabami can shape-shift into various things, including humans. Therefore, Nikolai won't have any serpent-like characteristics unless he were to transform.**

 **Right now it's New Year's Eve where I am so if it's 2018 where you are, Happy New Year! I hope it's a positive one for everyone!**

 **And last but not least, I would like to give a shout out to Autumn Poem for all the support you've shown my fic. I really appreciate it! It's partly thanks to you that I have the energy to write more and keep up with this fic. Thanks so much!**


	6. Chapter 6

A few days had gone by. At least, Dazai was pretty sure some days had passed. He easily lost track of time because there were no windows in the torture chamber.

For all he knew, mere minutes could have gone by agonizingly slow. Who could say for sure? Not him.

His body was losing more energy every hour. The healer that was supposedly sent for him never came, forcing him to tend to his own wounds with what little of his power remained. The fox used several incantations to reattach his tail, and fix the splinters in most of his ribs. His poor arms were still a mess.

Nikolai, the uwabami, waltzed through the entrance of the torture chamber. He lit a decorative paper lantern, hanging it on one of the rusty nails protruding from the stone wall. The uwabami was accompanied by a smaller yokai. Specifically, a shukaku.

A tanuki notorious for disguising itself as a human priest. There was something or other about them possessing a magic tea kettle, but Dazai couldn't recall particular details for lesser yokai. The fox was positive that disguising oneself as a priest did not automatically mean the shukaku possessed recovery spells.

"Sorry for the wait. Our healer has been occupied what with the war raging on outside of these walls." Despite Nikolai's words, he wasn't the least bit remorseful.

The shukaku made quick work of Dazai's arms. Thankfully, he even went as far as to look over the nine-tailed fox's tail and ribs. Dazai no longer had to worry about the cracks in his ribs that he missed.

That was all. The visit was over, but a sense of foreboding crept into the back of Dazai's mind.

Nikolai waited until the shukaku left the room before turning around to face the bound fox, "Dos sends his regards. No need to worry though, he'll be dropping by a little later."

"Oh boy, I can't wait~!" Dazai faked enthusiasm, which had no effect on the uwabami. It would have worked better if his voice hadn't sounded so raspy.

 _I really want to get out of this hellhole. It's super boring when they leave me here by my lonesome. I wonder, what are you doing right now, Chuuya?_

"Dazai?"

"Did you say something?" Tatsuhiko asked, looking up from the book he was reading.

"No. It's nothing." He could have sworn he heard Dazai's voice saying his name.

 _I'm not some stupid lovesick teenager. I must be hearing things._

The tengu convinced himself that his imagination was running wild until he suddenly acquired an ounce of his power back. He couldn't shrug his own power off like it was nothing. Something major had to be happening in the yokai realm. Nevertheless, Chuuya knew he needed a lot more power in order to return to the very same realm the waste of bandages banished him from.

It was the furthest feeling from love sickness; the tengu craved vengeance.

"How's the job search going?" Apparently the taller male lost interest in his book.

"How's your basement doing?" Chuuya countered.

"You must be very curious about what's down there."

"Trust me, I wouldn't be asking otherwise," the redhead looked back down at the computer screen where he'd been filling out several online job applications. It took him awhile to get the hang of using the foreign technology. As a result of Tatsuhiko's guidance, and a bit of experimenting on his own, Chuuya felt like a pro in modern technology.

Beforehand, he threatened to break the laptop out of frustration.

"Your answer depends on whether or not I show you what's down there."

"Rude," Chuuya huffed. "But if you must know, it's going really shitty. How many of these damn things do I have to fill out before someone takes an interest in hiring me?" There was a possibility he wasn't filling them all out correctly, but no one except him needed to know that.

"That's all you had to say," Tatsuhiko hummed. He left his comfortable armchair to walk into the hallway just off to the right. Chuuya heard his feet shuffling across the tiled floor. Silence overtook the room once the shuffling stopped. Then, the silence was breached by a question, "are you coming or not?"

"Hold on. I didn't know you wanted me to follow you," the tengu set the laptop aside, and joined the white haired male in the hallway.

They made their way to Tatsuhiko's basement door. There was a padlock keeping the door secured. Tatsuhiko produced a key from inside of his pocket, inserting it into the lock.

"Careful on the stairs. They're old, steep, and of all things, the light switch is located at the very bottom," the taller male marched confidently through the darkness enveloping the rickety stairs.

Chuuya had no choice but to pursue because his curiosity got the better of him.

When the lights flicked on the tengu thought he died and went to heaven. Except, such a concept was absurd for a being like himself. He was surrounded by shelves filled with countless bottles of wine.

"I can't believe you had the fucking nerve to keep your wine cellar a secret from me," Chuuya's words were harsh, but a laugh extinguished any hard feelings.

"I wanted to keep it a secret for a good reason," Tatsuhiko professed.

"Do me a favor and tell me about your _good reason_ over a glass," Chuuya suggested.

The taller male grabbed a bottle of wine, then proceeded to usher the tengu up to the kitchen. His movements were so brisk that Chuuya wasn't able to catch what kind of wine Tatsuhiko picked out. Tatsuhiko instructed Chuuya not to look at the bottle while he poured the, no doubt, delicious liquid into a set of wine glasses.

Once he was finished, he handed a glass to Chuuya. The tengu took a sip, not peering at the bottle, and let the flavor dance over his taste buds before swallowing it. He noted a balanced blend of grapes. Four to be exact. He only knew because he had tasted the wine a handful years ago. It happened to be among one of his favorites.

"A nice glass of Rare Red Pinot Noir. Finally, some wine I can appreciate," to emphasize his point, Chuuya took another swig of the smooth, crimson liquid. "Care to explain yourself now?"

Tatsuhiko casually swirled the liquor in his glass, "I asked how the job search was coming along because I wanted to know if you would be interested in working for me."

"What does working for you have to do with your lovely collection of wine?"

"I own a winery a couple of blocks down. The wine in my basement is essentially the stock for my winery. I keep it at home in order for it to be more secured. I never know when someone might get bold enough to break into my building," Tatsuhiko clarified.

"Wait a minute, you own a fucking winery too!? Why did you decide to withhold all the good stuff?" he took a whole mouthful from his glass in an attempt to calm himself.

"There were a lot of variables for me to consider. First of all, I didn't know how long you planned on staying with me. I have no intention of kicking you out, but initially it sounded like you didn't plan to stick around. Second of, I wasn't sure if you were going to find a decent job or not. Your competent enough to make it happen, and I surely didn't want to offer you a lesser job by comparison. This last part might only be an added bonus for me, but I genuinely like having your around to keep me company."

"I..." Chuuya's words came to a halt. "I don't know what to say. I would love to take the job. Although, promise me this; if I'm not cut out for the position you have to fire me. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I don't want anymore handouts. You've done enough for me as is. I would hate to be the reason for your business going under," the tengu was half joking, half serious.

"It's a deal," Tatsuhiko acknowledged. They shook hands on it, clinked their glasses together, and downed the remainder of their wine.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Because of the brutality of the last chapter this one isn't nearly as heavy. Now I need inspiration for chapter seven. I know how I want to end the fic, but I don't think it's quite there yet. I need to bridge some more ideas together first. Well, until next time. Hope you enjoyed the newest installment.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Is today going to be different from the rest?" Fyodor drawled. For him to be losing interest now might spell the end for Dazai.

"Depends. Do you have any good scotch laying around?" he knew he wasn't going to get any, but that wasn't the point. The nine-tailed fox was terribly parched. He almost didn't care what sort of liquid slid down his throat as long as it provided him with temporary relief.

"I've got some watered down wine available. Though I know that's not nearly as good as scotch." Dazai could hear the scoff Chuuya would have made if he were there to hear the oni talk so lightly of his favorite kind of alcohol.

The fox snorted, "supposing you still intend to capture the alluring tengu, I suggest you offer him exquisite wine versus the watered down stuff you're keeping on hand. He'll know the difference between the two."

"Information, but not useful information," the oni sighed. "I grow tired of these idle chats."

"Me too." Finally, something he and the oni could agree on.

"I wonder what would happen if I were to beat you within an inch of your life. Would your precious Chuuya come to your rescue or leave you to rot?" It was a rhetorical question. The fox was positive Fyodor liked hearing himself talk. "How about tormenting you for several days on end? That might be fun," he added conversationally.

"I guarantee he won't show no matter what you decide to do," Dazai's tone of voice grew colder. He was finished playing the role of the easygoing, carefree yokai.

"Nikolai, bring in the dull spears," demanded the oni.

On cue, the uwabami wheeled a cart of spears inside of the torture chamber. It looked like the weapons had been carelessly tossed into the cart. They were strewn about with the tips of the blades pointing in various directions.

The fox found it difficult to accurately gauge how many spears were piled in the wooden cart. Probably more than he would have liked.

"For every hour that passes I'm going to stick you with a spear in hopes of prompting you to share valuable information. Should you wind up Swiss cheese by the end of it, well, that's your own damn fault, _Dazai-san_ ," Fyodor explained with an air of impatience.

In the distance, a bell chimed, indicating the beginning of a new hour.

"What a coincidence," Fyodor marched over towards the cart. He selected a spear that showed signs of rusting. "This one will do nicely."

The oni stood in front of Dazai once more. He raised the weapon above his head as if he were going to throw it. He chose to angle the the weapon downward, and pierce the middle of the fox's right thigh.

Dazai bit back the urge to react. He did, however, wince from the fire spreading throughout his thigh.

"Only sixty minutes to go before you receive the following one," the oni taunted. "I'll have plenty of time to decide where to impale you next."

Dazai grit his teeth, "looking forward to it." Determination danced in his chocolate brown orbs.

* * *

The amount of power returning to Chuuya nearly knocked him unconscious.

He was at a local apparel store with Tatsuhiko. The two were out shopping to update Chuuya's wardrobe. Primarily because he needed proper work attire, but Tatsuhiko also offered to buy him a few casual outfits.

The tengu stood in the coat section when a wave of nausea hit him hard. He crouched down to minimize any damage he might cause. Then, he felt extremely lightheaded, and before he knew it he was experiencing a hot flash.

His body must have adjusted to his power not being very apparent. Now that a majority of it was restored his system didn't know how to handle it. He lost his vision shortly after the realization.

"T-Tatsuhiko?" he stuttered, attempting to call out his companion's name. God, he wanted to crawl into a hole and die from sheer embarrassment. Never had he felt so weak in his life. Tearing out his wings was surprisingly preferable.

"Chuuya, what's wrong?" he asked the shorter male after he found him. He didn't get a response so he crouched down with Chuuya, placing a reassuring hand on his back.

"I... need a moment," a tightness swelled in his chest. The tengu started to believe his intake of oxygen wasn't enough.

The taller male stood abruptly, sweeping the redhead into his arms. Chuuya was being held bridal-style with no warning whatsoever.

"Careful," the tengu hissed. The swift movements were too much for his current state.

"My bad," Tatsuhiko winked, wishing to be forgiven. Chuuya grunted, and Tatsuhiko took it as Chuuya's form of clemency.

With the front cashier's permission, Tatsuhiko carried the redhead to the back of the store. He gently set him down on a small couch meant for the employees.

Chuuya closed his eyes. At the rate he was going, he didn't care if he fell asleep. His body welcomed the idea of taking a breather.

* * *

Day turned to night by the time Tatsuhiko and Chuuya were sitting inside the winery.

The tengu remembered falling asleep at the store, but he hadn't anticipated waking up in the comforts of Tatsuhiko's French style home.

"You were out for awhile. I called a taxi to come pick us up. I did have to carry you indoors after we arrived," the white haired male described their previous situation.

"Gotcha," Chuuya noted passively. "That still doesn't explain why you brought me here when there aren't any customers. How else am I supposed to learn the ropes?"

"There's no need to rush. Take care of your fatigue first. I'll have you shadow me when you feel up to it."

"Tch! All right," the tengu conceded.

Tatsuhiko busied himself with setting up a table, using a white table cloth to dress it up. He gathered an assortment of wine to put on top of the table. Last but not least, he brought out different food, from the winery's kitchen, that would compliment each type of wine.

The first round of tasting consisted of Merlot and roast duck. The taller male made sure to serve Chuuya first before serving himself. He was the host, after all.

Chuuya picked at the roast duck. To Tatsuhiko's credit, it was delicious, but the tengu didn't really feel hungry.

On any regular day, Chuuya would have savored the Merlot. However, he gulped the red liquid down without considering the flavor.

It was like that for the other wine and food as well. The tengu would barely touch the food, and drink the wine as if it were water. His face was unquestionably flushed.

"You might want to slow down," Tatsuhiko warned. "You've barely had anything to eat, meaning there's only alcohol coursing through your system."

Chuuya was too drunk to heed his words or care.

"Bastard!" the white haired male flinched at the malice behind the word, thinking it was aimed at him. "Why did he have to go and leave me?" sobs started escaping from the petite redhead.

"Who?" Tatsuhiko gently asked.

"Dazai... that shitty bandage wasting device," his shoulders shook, the tears refusing to stop. "I loved the stupid mackerel. I still do! Fuck!"

Drunk Chuuya and sober Chuuya didn't see eye to eye on the matter of Dazai.

In reality, the tengu chose to ignore his feelings that didn't disappear after the fox's betrayal.

"What's so great about him?"

"His eyes, his stupid grin, plus his shitty attempts at setting the mood. It's because he's a pervert," he sniffled.

"If you could see him now, would you?" Tatsuhiko prodded.

"Yes!" Chuuya whimpered. "So I could punch him in the face, and tell him what an asshole he is! Then maybe, finally... confess my, uh... feelings to him." Certainly not a classic tsundere response. A classic, _plastered_ tsundere response.

Tatsuhiko felt a pang of jealously towards the man known as, Osamu Dazai, "you might get to see him sooner than you realize."

His words didn't reach the drunk tengu because he was out cold (after _three_ whole drinks).

* * *

 **Author's Note: February is going to be a very busy month for me work wise. Apologies in advance if updates get even slower. I think this fic is getting close to the end, but I don't know if that means one more chapter, two more, or possibly three. I haven't worked it all out yet. Anyhow, please enjoy the newest addition of Yokai Love Story, and if it's not too much trouble, leave a review and tell me what you think so far. Reviews are a big help in keeping me motivated~**


	8. Chapter 8

Twenty-seven spears and counting. Scratch that. It was actually twenty-two spears and five throwing knives. Even then, the oni wasn't sure that he could fit anymore sharp objects on Dazai's body.

"Nikolai, do we have any quill pens laying around?" Fyodor carefully pondered his few remaining options.

"I have no clue," the uwabami shrugged his shoulders. "But I can check the study."

"Be quick about it. We only have ten minutes until the new hour strikes."

"Sir, yes sir," Nikolai saluted, slinking off like a loyal servant.

He played the part of an obedient underling well. However, The Clown was simply abiding his time. That's not to say he planned on betraying Fyodor. No, perish the thought. He couldn't contain his excitement for the real battle to begin. They were close, so close. He practically felt it in his bones, and it made him shiver with anticipation. Once the final players entered the playing field all hell would surely break loose. Fighting that caged beast would be a thrill like no other, or so he hoped.

Nikolai skipped off to the study in search of quill pens. "Quill pens, quill pens~ What better way to mark a target?" he sang cheerily.

Fyodor looked over his shoulder at the pile of unused spears, violet eyes narrowing, "a waste of good materials, but I suppose I can give them a purpose yet."

Dazai wanted to talk, wanted to make the oni lose his cool, but the effort to do so was nearly nonexistent. He couldn't move his limbs, or wiggle an appendage, absolutely nothing. The fox was fortunate enough that his eyes still functioned properly. They scanned the never changing scenery as if he were seeking out a fresh image.

The one thing that did change was the numbness in his tired body. He knew the body belonged to him, but it didn't feel like he was entirely there. Like his mind was a separate floating entity.

 _Why hasn't the loss of blood put an end to me?_ The nine-tailed fox wondered darkly.

Nikolai came bouncing back into the grungy chamber, "look what I found~! A whole mess of feathered quills. And the best part?" Dazai could have sworn The Clown's face was being cast in a dark, ominous shadow. "The feathers belonged to a tengu at one point in time." He held the pens out to Fyodor, who began inspecting the onyx feathers.

"How fitting."

Dazai scrunched his face up in contempt, which he didn't know he had the ability to do until just then. Perhaps the muscles in his face weren't entirely numb. Probably because they kept his face unmarked. Whether or not that would change was entirely up to the oni.

Fyodor selected a pen, dragging the tip across Dazai's cheek. A thin line of crimson appeared when he was done. The fox's own thoughts jinxing himself. Fyodor then returned the pen to Nikolai's hands.

"Have fun carving up the rest of his unblemished skin. As for me, I think I'm going to retire to my room for the time being. I'll come back to check on the two of you in a couple of hours."

"Let's have us some fun, shall we?" the uwabami beamed at the fox. His grin so wide he was baring his teeth.

* * *

Chuuya woke up late into the afternoon. He had a headache from the night before, and contemplated going back to sleep. He almost convinced himself until he remembered that he could finally shadow Tatsuhiko at the winery. That idea alone had him racing out of bed to freshen up for the day's task. The tengu was fully prepared for the challenge, but it wouldn't hurt to take some pain relieving medicine first.

He was downstairs within minutes, already dressed in his new work clothes.

His outfit was comprised of black slacks, black dress shoes, a white dress shirt, a grey vest, and a black, ribbon bolo tie. Chuuya also wore his black gloves and choker (they were his favorite). He opted not to wear his hat, thinking it to be a little unprofessional. Instead, he tied his ginger locks back with a simple hair tie. Then, added a few barrettes to keep his bangs out of the way.

"My, someone's eager," Tatsuhiko noted. "Why not eat something before we head out. I imagine you're somewhat famished."

"Forget about it," Chuuya waved off the offer. "It's late enough as is. I'll eat when we get back."

Tatsuhiko didn't bother to press him any further, knowing that doing so would not change the redhead's mind.

Side by side, they walked to Tatsuhiko's winery, aptly named Rouge Winery. The building itself was painted in a deep red. Almost as dark as blood, like it would attract certain kinds of people.

Chuuya knew what the place looked like on the inside. The winery wasn't likely to draw in a tough crowd. Granted, he had a difficult time recalling all of the interior details thanks to the wine he drank from the other night.

The front door serving as the main entrance clicked open, welcoming the pair with a crystal, clear elegance. Two gigantic chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting the room in a light glow. Dozens of round, ivory tables were dressed and ready to go. A mix of velvet and cream tablecloths.

The largest table, positioned in the center of the room, was dressed with a nice balance of both colors. It was the only table prepped with silverware, dishware, and napkins. A centerpiece of roses tied the whole ensemble together.

"We're not typically busy during the beginning of the week. I received a single phone call two days ago for this setup. From the sounds of it, a group of young ladies are getting together for an evening out."

"I'm guessing we have some time to kill until then. What will we be doing in the meantime?" Chuuya was curious since it didn't look like there was much else to do.

"There's prep work in the kitchen that needs doing. You can help me with that," Tatsuhiko turned, leading the way to the kitchen.

They spent the rest of the afternoon making small appetizers that would compliment the requested wine. The tengu found that he was pretty decent at cooking. He made a few errors here and there. For example, mistaking salt for sugar or getting teaspoons and tablespoons mixed up. The taller male chalked it up to rookie mistakes, which was accurate enough.

The group of girls arrived on time. They were acting all giddy about how fancy the winery was. Whispering loudly to each other. The tengu was fairly certain they hadn't been of drinking age for very long. Otherwise, they would act a bit more refined. At least, he hoped.

The girls practically swooned whenever they laid eyes on Tatsuhiko and Chuuya. The guys politely introduced themselves, showing the group to their table.

The sensation of being watched crept up Chuuya's spine when he and Tatsuhiko left to retrieve the food and drink.

To be completely honest, the tengu didn't appreciate the attention. It made him uncomfortable. Not _Dazai teasing him_ uncomfortable, but _a relationship with a human wouldn't work out_ uncomfortable. It was hard enough trying to start a relationship with his own kind, and look how that blew up in his face. He could only imagine the complications he might have with a human.

Suddenly, it dawned on him. Tatsuhiko was a human whom he got along with just fine. Sure, things had been awkward at first, but they needed to get to know one another. Once they made it over that hurdle they gained an easy, uncomplicated friendship.

Friendships were a bit different than romantic involvement though.

Before his thoughts could delve any further in that direction, the tengu was literally knocked off his feet. Thankfully, he already set down the food and drink he was carrying. The girls gasped, wanting to see if their cute waiter was okay. Tatsuhiko beat them to it.

"Maybe it wasn't your best idea to skip a meal." It was more like two meals to be exact.

Chuuya reluctantly nodded, but knew hunger had nothing to do with it.

"There's extra food in the back. Go eat before you pass out. Leave our current guests to me," Tatsuhiko held his hand out to help Chuuya up. He took the offered hand, gingerly standing up.

"Apologies for the inconvenience," the tengu murmured with a bow.

All of the girls told him not to worry about it, and that they were glad he was okay.

He briskly walked to the kitchen with no intention of eating. All of his power coursed through his veins, thrumming to life, making itself known. It meant it was finally time.

"Watch out because I'm coming for you, asshole. It's about fucking time your debt was paid."

Chuuya opened up a portal between the human world and the yokai realm with a snap of his fingers. A part of him regretted leaving Tatsuhiko behind like this. Why, he was more or less no better than Dazai. On the other hand, he was determined to tie up loose ends in the world he truly belonged in.

"Farewell, mon ami."

* * *

Tatsuhiko got the chance to slip away from his patrons so he decided to go check up on Chuuya. He expected to see the short redhead stuffing his face with food. He was met with a total opposite scene.

Someone else might think Chuuya had gone to the restroom or on a smoke break, but the white haired male knew better. He could sense the residual energy coming off of the recently closed portal.

"Why couldn't he have waited until I closed up shop?" Tatsuhiko huffed a sigh. "Hopefully nothing bad happens while I'm stuck here. Then again, who am I kidding?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: The plot thickens! Tatsuhiko gets friend-zoned (Sorry not sorry, Tatsuhiko)! What in the world will happen next!? I'm not even sure, and I'm the author! XD But in all seriousness, thanks for reading. If you've been keeping up with my crazy story then you deserve a round of applause. And as always, look forward to the next chapter 'cause it ain't over yet!**


	9. Chapter 9

The view was surreal. A forest of multi-colored trees spreading for miles greeted the tengu. A large, snow-capped mountain looming in the distance. Tranquility settled around Chuuya (regardless of the war plaguing his realm). The kind of quiet that could never be attained in the human world.

He was home, and extremely pissed off. Whose sick idea of a joke was it for him to be transported among the treetops? A severely, grim reminder that he had no available wings to use for his convenience.

Thankfully, gravity hadn't deserted him. Despite that small blessing, using gravity to navigate through the air didn't have the same appeal as gliding on a pair of feathered wings.

A red glow enveloped Chuuya's body, allowing him to safely land in the undergrowth of the forest.

He went no further, settling himself in the shrubs surrounding him. Chuuya crossed his legs and closed his eyes in order to concentrate on finding any trace of Dazai. An image constructed itself in his mind. A small, blue flame flickering like it was about to be blown out by the slightest breeze. It held steady for a few moments, but the brilliant blue became dimmer as time passed. The fading presence came from the north.

His broken heart kept the ability to ache. It ached from the idea that Dazai was on the verge of death. The conjured image had no other possible symbolic meaning.

"Dazai..." the tengu furiously shook his head. "No, I'm going to go over there, and make sure I kill him myself," he resolved.

He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, and squeezed his eyes tighter. If it wasn't for his leather gloves, his nails would be digging into his palms enough to draw blood. A single tear slid down his cheek.

He stalked off in the direction pointing north. There would be hell to pay if Dazai was dead by the time he reached his destination. Chuuya wasn't sure who exactly was going to pay the price, but he'd worry about it later.

* * *

"How are things going in here?" Fyodor inquired after what Nikolai considered to be an enjoyable time.

"I'm having a blast. Not only that, but I'm improving on my _penmanship_ ," the uwabami giggled madly, holding a bloodied quill pen.

The oni beheld the sight of an impaled fox with fancy, scrawled letters engraved into his exposed skin. The nine-tailed fox wore little to no clothing now. Otherwise, Nikolai wouldn't have been able to carve him up so nicely.

Scraps of fabric hung between the brunet's legs, and clung to his waist. Dazai made a fine masterpiece, but he could further be improved upon. Fyodor yanked the remaining fabric off his body, exposing him entirely. Dazai shuddered from the chill air hitting him in that sensitive spot.

"I have an idea," Fyodor announced. The uwabami ceased his giggling, giving the oni his full attention. "Let's carve our names there," he paused to point at Dazai's bare member, "and see what sort of reaction we can get out of him. I'll take the front, you take the back when I'm done."

Fyodor grabbed a pen of his own, languidly nearing the nine-tailed fox. Dazai bared his teeth, lips pulled back into a snarl. All of his composure gone. No one owned him. He wouldn't allow anyone to make that kind of claim, except for...

The cruel, violet-eyed oni stopped in front of him. Dazai expected the demon to grab his member in a crushing grip, and begin engraving a capital "F" on the tender flesh. Instead, Fyodor ran his pen through a recently engraved word that had already scabbed over. The raw skin flared to life, pumping fresh blood, and burning with the fire of a thousand suns. Dazai threw his head back as much as he could, a bloodcurdling scream tore itself from his equally raw throat.

"Expecting something else?" Fyodor chuckled. "Surprise."

* * *

"Was that? No, it couldn't be," but that sure as hell sounded like Dazai.

Admittedly, Chuuya never heard the other yokai scream before. Although, he had a strong gut feeling that told him it couldn't be anyone else. The tengu broke into a run, hellbent on finding the nine-tailed fox sooner rather than later.

Another scream sounded. That one more guttural than the last. Yet at the same time, it was louder, which wasn't possible unless he was getting closer to the source of the tormented voice.

He skidded to a halt when his shoes met a smooth, almost slippery, surface. Chuuya stood in the middle of a stone platform that was embedded into the ground. Leaning forward he peered down an angular hole in front of the platform, revealing a flight of stone steps.

"When did we ever have underground facilities? As far as I know, all of our shrines and housing were built above ground," the tengu hesitated to walk down the stairs. He might not be able to breach the entrance should there be a barrier set up to keep intruders out.

Pitiful wailing brought him back to reality. He stormed down the stairs, and flung the door open with more force than was necessary. On account of, it was a meager bamboo sliding door without a single spell on it.

Maze-like corridors made up the basic foundation of the underground facility. There were several hallways branching off to clusters of rooms. The tengu didn't have the time to check each cluster of rooms, then retrace his steps to search through the following clusters.

 _Focus on Dazai's voice. Just focus on Dazai's voice. Nothing else._

The wailing stopped, replaced by labored breathing. It was thanks to that labored breathing alone that Chuuya had an easy time locating the torture chamber.

It happened; he finally found Dazai, but the tengu wasn't anticipating how wrecked the nine-tailed fox was going to look.

The brunet barely lifted his head to look at the short redhead. _His_ redhead, well, in another life perhaps.

"Ch-Chuuya..." Dazai breathed. The tengu was going to say something in turn, but Dazai cut him off. "You... have... to get out of here!" the fox struggled to force the last part out.

"A bit late for that, don't you think?" a low, cynical voice chimed in. "Welcome, Chuuya Nakahara. We've been expecting you," Fyodor gave the tengu the warmest smile he could muster, which wasn't very warm at all. It appeared forced.

"He couldn't leave here anyways," Nikolai dropped in from out of nowhere. "The spell cast on the entrance was specifically designed to let him in, but it won't let him out."

"What spell?" Chuuya snapped. "I didn't sense any spell."

"Designed to be undetected too," the oni answered.

"That's not important right now," the redhead huffed. He jabbed the air with his finger, indicating the fox's general direction. "Did you bastards to that to him?"

"Why yes. Yes we did. Believe it or not, we were just about finished with him. We only need to inscribe our names on him so everyone may know who was responsible for this pièce de rèsistance."

Chuuya despised how one of the languages he loved rolled off the devil's tongue so fluently.

"With what room are you going to inscribe your names?" the tengu challenged.

"Guess he isn't looking _hard_ enough," the uwabami snickered, hiding his grin behind his hand.

Chuuya scanned Dazai's body, eyes landing on a certain part of the fox.

A blush warmed his cheeks, "you can't fucking be serious."

"The better question is, do you plan to stand in our way?"

The tengu cracked his neck, and rolled his shoulders, "you bet your ass I do. If anyone has the right to torture the waste of bandages, it's _me_. So step the fuck back because you're in for it now."

"Do you... really hate me that much?" Dazai whispered pathetically.

"Yes." A blunt statement, but not a true one.

 _No._

"Makes sense. It's a shame though, I should have had us maintain a long distance relationship or something like that," a pained smiled graced his lips.

"Don't you mean a long distance friendship?" Chuuya corrected.

 _Why didn't we do that?_

"We could have tried phone sex."

"This isn't the time for your perverted games, asshole!"

 _We could have, but I never confessed my feelings. So here we are._

Fyodor snapped his fingers a second later.

Dazai's voice arose with panic, "Chuuya, watch out!"

Nikolai struck with one of the leftover spears, drawing blood. His aim wasn't intended to land a killing blow. He wanted to enjoy the fight for as long as possible.

Of all the things to do, the tengu squeezed his eyes shut when he heard Dazai's warning. For some reason he felt no pain. Chuuya opened his eyes to see a white haired male fall to his knees from the blow originally meant for him. The tip of the spear nestled in his abdomen.

"Tatsuhiko...?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay, so I can definitely confirm this story is coming to a close soon. I'm almost done writing chapter 10, and I think there might be a bonus chapter too, but that's pretty much it. Any ideas what Tatsuhiko's major role in the whole story is? Stay tuned because the big reveal happens in the next chapter~!**


	10. Chapter 10

At first, Chuuya thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. It was possible since he was in the midst of enemy territory.

"Hi, Chuuya. I wish you would have waited for me before you left," he pulled the spear from his body, struggling to stand up.

"A traitor. A traitor has entered the stage!" the uwabami sung. "A pawn turned rogue against his king. Death will not be swift, old friend," The Clown promised.

"You sent your mutt to watch over Chuuya?" the fox growled, not as menacing as he would have liked.

"As you heard Nikolai say, he is no longer my mutt. Seems he's switched loyalties to everyone's favorite tengu. I had a feeling this would happen, but I hoped an inugami's loyalty was worth more than this."

Now that Tatsuhiko was in the yokai realm his dog ears and tail were visible.

"You were apart of their group all along?" Hurt flashed through Chuuya's eyes.

"I was," the inugami's ears drooped from the shame of keeping his true identity a secret. "Fyodor sent me to the human world in order to keep tabs on you, but I never thought I would grow so attached. I truly value the time we spent together," he blushed. "I could not have asked for a better friendship," Tatsuhiko amended. He already knew there was no room for him in Chuuya's heart beyond that of a friendship. That spot was reserved for a nine-tailed fox whether he admitted to it or not.

Tatsuhiko was the one who picked up the pieces after Chuuya's heart shattered. Not to mention, the inugami offered him more than he could have dreamed.

"I suppose I can forgive you, but no more secrets once we're through with this. I'm tired of all that bullshit," despite his words, the tengu grinned.

Relief filled Tatsuhiko. He didn't know what he was going to do if Chuuya had ended up hating him.

"Eradicate the traitor and the fox. Subdue the tengu," the oni commanded. "Don't make me jump in if I don't have to. Otherwise, everyone in this room will bare witness to the full force of my wrath."

"The king has ordered his bishop to move out. I must retrieve the queen, and eliminate the enemy pawns," Nikolai paused in thought. "Ah, dear king?"

"Yes?" Fyodor rolled his eyes at the uwabami's theatrics.

"Is it alright if I rough up the queen a bit? I don't think he'll surrender himself without a fight."

"As long as he's able to use his hidden power, do what you must."

The tengu ground his teeth in irritation. "I'm right here you bastards. Stop talking about me like I'm all the way back in the human world."

"The queen doth protest too much." With that said, the uwabami activated his special ability, Dead Souls.

He sauntered in Chuuya's general direction, but Tatsuhiko blocked his path.

"If you wanted me to use my lovely ability on you, then all you had to do was ask. Though you might lose your head in the process," a meaningless warning when it comes from the mouth of a sadist.

"I've had enough," the tengu griped. "Enough of being protected, enough of being a pawn, and especially, enough of drowning in my own misery." The next words he spoke caused an icy chill in the air. "Oh, Grantors of Dark Disgrace, do not wake me again."

"No!" Dazai and Tatsuhiko blurted in unison.

The strange red markings tainted his porcelain skin; eyes devoid of fierce sapphire. Wings- his wings flared to life as if they had never been torn out. Except the new pair of wings were different.

Whatever power Corruption channeled through Chuuya's body came to life in the form of jagged wings. Another difference. The wings weren't soft, black feathers. They were angry red and serrated like a pair of demon wings.

Chuuya's rampage was only just beginning. Favorably managing to focus all of his fury on Nikolai and Fyodor. He darted to the sky above, breaking through the underground chamber and leaving a whirlwind in his wake. The whirlwind destroyed the rest of the chamber's ceiling. Dirt crumbled down from the large opening.

Rather than the usual black holes the tengu manipulated the surplus of spears. He raised them into the air, aiming them at the oni and the uwabami. The weapons raining down on the yokai like a hailstorm. Chuuya changed their density, which allowed the spears to leave heavy imprints in the floor below.

Nikolai and Fyodor avoided most of the spears, but there were a handful that pierced through the both of them. They hadn't sustained nearly as much damage as they dealt to Dazai.

Unsatisfied with the result of the spears, Chuuya switched gears to his mini black holes. He didn't know it, didn't care when he was in that state, but he was probably going to make the chamber collapse on the four yokai.

The idea of being buried alive did not appeal to Dazai. Especially when it was with three others he could not bring himself to care for. Tatsuhiko might not be so bad, but he was awfully close to Chuuya. Too close, in the eyes of the fox.

In their current predicament he did need the inugami's help. Setting their differences aside, the fox beckoned Tatsuhiko over to him. The white haired male staggered to Dazai's side, pressing an arm over his abdominal wound. It wasn't life-threatening, but it did slow him down.

"I'm going to need you to pull all of these sharp objects from my body."

The seriousness on his face told the other he wasn't joking.

"You realize you will bleed out, right? There would be no point without a healer on standby."

"Would you rather I die or Chuuya?" Tatsuhiko stayed quiet. "Thought so. Listen, I'm the only one with an ability that can stop Corruption from consuming Chuuya. Find a way to get me near him. I know he's in the air right now, but he can't stay up there forever. Use an opening when you can. In the meantime, start plucking these things out of me."

The inugami did as he was told. It was their only shot at fixing any of this. He wouldn't voice it out loud, but he was positive that Dazai would start pulling the objects from his own body if no one insisted on helping him.

Together, Fyodor and Nikolai used their abilities. However, they were at a huge disadvantage with compressed balls of gravity endlessly being thrown their way. Nikolai couldn't get close enough to Chuuya for Dead Souls to be effective. Whereas, Crime and Punishment amplified the tengu's pain, but it didn't seem to decrease his power. Whatever the redhead lost was thanks to his own ability, and that was it.

"What a terrible end," Nikolai frowned. "Were we too ambitious from the start?" because now was certainly the time to ponder what went wrong.

"On the contrary," Fyodor laughed, "I think we had the right amount of ambition. Who would have thought this would be the outcome? Sure, there might have been ways to prevent this, but it's not so bad. If I am to be erased from this world, why not let a gorgeous, wild tengu be the end of me."

"Methinks you might have lost your mind," the uwabami shrugged nonchalantly. "Then again, with such strength striking me down I admit I'm a bit excited more or less..." he gasped hysterically. "And here I thought I was a total sadist. Looks like I might be somewhat of a masochist too."

Chuuya dropped to the ground with a loud thud. The black hole he channeled in the palm of his hand was larger than the rest that came before it. That one was going to be the oni and the uwabami's demise.

"Do it," Fyodor prompted, his amethyst eyes glowing bright from sheer anticipation.

Chuuya released the dark orb, tearing through the two yokai most responsible for the war and death their world had to endure.

The deed was done.

Chuuya Nakahara was not.

Corruption demanded another outlet even though its host was nearly used up. Blood poured from Chuuya's nose, and down his chin. The metallic taste of copper making his taste buds recoil.

Tatsuhiko heaved Dazai upright, supporting the dead weight that was his body. The inugami wasn't sure who looked worse for wear: Dazai or Chuuya? They walked as fast as their legs would carry them to the absent-minded tengu.

Dazai reached out a hand gently placing it on Chuuya's shoulder.

He rasped out the name of his ability, "No Longer Human."

His wings sizzled out like a fire that recently had water poured on it. Chuuya fell to his knees, as did Dazai. The tengu gradually regaining control over himself. He turned to face the fox. The two stared at each other for a long stretch of silence.

"You look like shit," Chuuya noted casually like they were in a perfectly normal situation.

"Yeah? So do you," Dazai mused.

"I'll kill you... when we're both up to par."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Bastard," Chuuya sucked in a sharp breath. He was on the verge of passing out. "I... l-love you..." After that he was down for the count.

The nine-tailed fox blinked in surprise. Had Chuuya actually admitted to having feelings for him? The stress might have been getting to him. Maybe he was delirious when he spoke those three words.

"Now isn't the time!" Dazai groaned. "We need that shukaku ASAP!"

"On it!" Tatsuhiko assured.

"There's no need for that," came a whimsical, feminine voice.

A beautiful woman stepped over the rubble and spears. Tatsuhiko noticed the sickles protruding from her forearms. He assumed her to be a kama itachi even though he beheld no weasel traits. She must be concealing them.

The kama itachi were notorious for being swift. They would ride the winds to tear people up with their razor sharp claws. What was peculiar was how quickly they would heal their victims with a miraculous salve. Both actions happening in the blink of an eye, leaving the victim to think they had a clumsy accident somewhere down the line.

Tatsuhiko kept his guard up, for the kama itachi was from another yokai clan participating in the war.

"Ah, Yosano-sensei, good to see you," chirped Dazai.

"It's been how many days, and that's all you have to say to me?" she rolled her eyes. "I suppose I expected nothing less."

"About not needing the shukaku... You know as well as I that your ability doesn't work on me. Though it would be nice if I could apply the healing salve, and be rid of these nasty wounds."

"Right, magic works on you, but beings born with specific abilities don't. I'd like to know how that works, but then again, I'm not like that numskull, Kajii. Guess I'll heal your friend over there first, then he can go fetch the shukaku for you while I work on Chuuya."

"Wait a moment," Tatsuhiko took a step back when Yosano neared, "aren't you an enemy? Why would you help us?"

"Didn't Fyodor tell you?" Dazai asked. "Or maybe he didn't know that, which I highly doubt."

"Didn't tell me what?"

"The three most influential yokai clans called a truce in order to team up against the threat of Fyodor the oni, and his crew of rats," the fox explained. "I bet everyone else is raiding this base as we speak. That's why Yosano-sensei is here."

"Right," she nodded. "Let me heal you at once before I have two dead patients on my hands. I don't need the Mafia clan holding that over me." The inugami gave in, accepting treatment. "Thou Shalt Not Die," she said with a twisted sweetness.

She slashed Tatsuhiko open using her deadly sickles. He had to be near death for the healing salve to work on his body. It took about five seconds for the whole process to be completed.

The raven haired woman let out a disappointed sigh, "I wish I wasn't so fast with my work. I'd like to enjoy the torture for a little longer."

Tatsuhiko immediately got to his feet in search of the shukaku. Smart yokai. Most others feared Yosano after their first healing experience, but she wasn't that bad to have around for company.

The white haired male returned minutes later, the raccoon priest right behind him. Yosano was glad to have someone focus on tending to Dazai, which meant she could put the rest of her energy into mending Chuuya.

Once the shukaku and Yosano were finished they left to see if anyone else needed their assistance. That left Tatsuhiko, Dazai, and a sleeping Chuuya in the rundown chamber.

"Thanks," the nine-tailed fox mumbled. "For taking care of Chuuya, I mean. Especially since I wasn't there to provide him with any comfort. Not that I could have considering I'm the one who caused his anguish in the first place."

"You're welcome," the inugami smiled. "But remember, now that you've been reunited you had better take proper care of him. He missed you the entire time, and never stopped loving you no matter how hard he tried. Believe me when I say, he tried. Nevertheless, those sparkling cerulean eyes always told me the truth."

"One more thing," Dazai said.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Do I have you to thank for the dreadful clothes Chuuya's wearing? His wardrobe is bad enough as it is."

The two of them burst out laughing at Dazai's partially faked exasperation while the tengu continued to sleep.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Although, this might seem like the end this is the second to last chapter. The bonus chapter I talked about in chapter nine's notes is going to be the fic's epilogue. It will be titled "Epilogue" as well versus appearing as a chapter eleven (so long as I remember to change it before uploading lol). Any thoughts on what might happen in the epilogue? Or let me know what you think of the overall resolution of the fic. Either would be appreciated. (^_^) See you next week for the final installment~ Please look forward to it!**


	11. Epilogue

Chuuya woke up in a soft bed with the comforter pulled up to his chin. He had a feeling he was back in Tatsuhiko's guest bedroom, and that was fine with him. Then, he remembered the incident in the yokai realm, but had it all been a dream? At that particular moment, he didn't care.

The tengu was cozy so he closed his eyes, turned on his side, and snuggled into the warmth next to him.

Wait.

Warmth?

Next to him?

Chuuya's eyes shot open as he scrambled out of the bed, taking half the comforter with him. His bare legs tangled in the heavy blanket. Upon noticing his legs were bare he looked down at himself to see what exactly he was wearing.

A red yukata hung loosely on his small frame. It would have been more secure had the orange sash not come undone. The top half of the yukata rested halfway down his shoulders, leaving the majority of his chest exposed. Meanwhile, the bottom half concealed nothing.

That was when he ascertained what was hugging his hips. Positive the frilly black fabric between his legs was a thong. Mainly because he could feel the smooth texture of the yukata on his ass. Not to mention how small the piece of lingerie looked. It barely contained certain parts of the tengu's body.

There was only one person in the entirety of both worlds that would dare to dress him up like that. He jumped on top of the other figure occupying the bed.

"Oi, shitty Dazai! When did you have the time to change me into this ridiculous getup!? And you had the nerve to undress me first! I'm really gonna kill you now... Say your prayers, bastard!" Chuuya seethed.

"Good morning to you too, Chuuya," Dazai replied drowsily. The fox sat upright, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He reached out for the feisty tengu, cradling him in his arms. "What's the fuss about?" Dazai dropped his head to nuzzle Chuuya's neck.

Chuuya's entire face heated up. He could feel the flush on his cheeks, the back of his neck, and even the tips of his ears.

"Since when have we ever been this friendly!?" the tengu decided to answer Dazai's question with another question.

"Aw, you don't remember?" the nine-tailed fox pouted.

"Remember what?" Chuuya raised his brow with uncertainty.

"You admitted to loving me right before you passed out."

"No way," Dazai had to be lying.

"Way," came a voice from the open doorway. Tatsuhiko walked in, setting a breakfast tray on the nightstand next to the bed. "Sorry to barge in, but breakfast is ready and I didn't know when you guys were going to come out."

Chuuya pulled the yukata tightly around his body, "are you sure you don't want us to eat with you?"

"It's fine," Tatsuhiko waved him off. The inugami's eyes told him that he and Dazai deserved some time to catch up. Tatsuhiko made sure to pull the door shut behind him.

"Sooo," Chuuya trailed awkwardly. "Does this mean we're official? Do you even accept my feelings or are you satisfied with teasing me forever without any actual results? I need to know," the tengu pleaded.

Dazai pressed their foreheads together, "I love you too. I always have. I thought all of the teasing would get my point across, but I guess it only served to confuse you. Sorry about that. Although, don't think for a second that I'm going to stop teasing you. It's way too much fun," he added.

"Is that what this is supposed to be, more teasing?" the tengu gestured to the sleepwear Dazai opted to dress him in.

"You bet," the fox grinned. "But don't worry, we can take things slow if you want."

Not that that was going to decrease the amount of teasing, is what he didn't say.

Chuuya threw his arms around Dazai's neck, kissing him deep and passionate. Dazai returned the favor by leaning into the kiss. Dazai was going to use his tongue to explore Chuuya's mouth, but the petite redhead broke the kiss before he got the chance.

"Huff. Slow or not, looks like I take the first point," Chuuya panted.

Dazai hooked an index finger under the slim band of the silky thong. "We'll see about that," he challenged in a husky voice.

* * *

A few weeks later.

The nine-tailed fox sat inside of his shrine back in the yokai realm. He was in the privacy of his bedroom, lounging on a futon. Dazai reached for his cellphone laying atop the tatami mat.

Right, a yokai with a cellular device. Weird. Although, he did have a good reason for purchasing one in the human world, and bringing it back with him. Maybe not an entirely good reason, but it was good enough for Dazai. Which ultimately meant trouble for a certain tengu currently residing in the human world.

The fox dialed Chuuya's number with a hum of happiness, waiting for the other to pick up. A beep sounded from the other line letting Dazai know that Chuuya answered.

"Are we really doing this?" Dazai pictured Chuuya rolling his eyes as he asked the question.

"Well, are you wearing the cute, red yukata and the sexy, little thong?" the brunet inquired.

"Yes..." came the reluctant reply.

"Then I think you have your answer." It was Chuuya's turn to picture Dazai nodding his head in satisfaction.

"What the hell are you wearing?" the tengu wanted to know in order to give himself a better visualization.

"A dark blue yukata and if you're curious, no, I'm not wearing a lovely, tight thong," he chuckled. "I actually decided to go commando."

The tengu wouldn't put it passed him, but that didn't stop his face from heating up. It also caused a slight bulge between his legs. A slight, constricted bulge.

"Can I take the stupid thong off?" his voice sounded a little strained.

"Hard already?"

"I'm not fully erect if that's what you're asking," the tengu huffed.

"Keep them on," the fox ordered.

"What if I happen to fall out?" a hint of a challenge shadowed his words.

"You get to play a penalty game, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. You'll just have to see whether or not you can win," Dazai purred.

Now Chuuya was really hot and bothered. Where Dazai was concerned a penalty game could mean anything. Anything sexual that is. Should the redhead lose, Dazai might decide to hop worlds and fuck him hard into the guest bed because phone sex probably wouldn't be enough for the lustful yokai.

"I... accept," Chuuya let out a breathy moan. He started to fondle himself through the silky fabric. His red yukata hanging fully open for all sorts of access.

The petite redhead's voice alone always had a way of turning Dazai on. He removed the sash at his waist, tossing it behind him. The yukata fell open, exposing his erect member. He pumped himself from the sound of Chuuya's moan looping through his mind.

"Are you laying on your side?" he grunted with a particularly heavy thrust. "I hope you are because that's... all I can picture."

"L-laying on my side... Ngh!" he confirmed. "And fighting a-against these... damn restraints. Hah!"

Dazai thought the lewd noises pouring out of his small redhead were super erotic.

He closed his eyes to conjure up a steamy image of Chuuya.

The thong he wore was close to bursting no longer able to contain Chuuya's cock. The fabric moist from precum beading down the length of him. Meanwhile, the string in the back was probably flush against his puckered hole, tortuously rubbing against it. Both of his nipples hard due to the things happening below his waist. Typically untamed ginger locks splayed out on the bed sheets. A few strands here and there sticking to his face from the thin layer of sweat.

His fantasy wasn't too far off.

Dazai's cock twitched in response, leaking its own precum.

Chuuya nearly sent him over the edge when he began mewling Dazai's name.

"D-Dazai! Nhh... I'm going to...! Ngh! N-no! Fuck... Ah, it c-came free..." He wished that it was Dazai's cock rubbing against his entrance rather than a piece of string.

Without even planning on it the two came together. Chuuya could no longer contain himself now that he was finally free of his frilly prison. Dazai got off on the last few word Chuuya uttered. They rode their orgasms out going partially blind, but once the ecstasy wore off they came down from their high. Come coating stomachs, chests, and sleeping areas.

"Th-there..." Chuuya panted. "We finally had phone sex. Happy now?"

The fox went to fetch a towel so he could clean himself up, taking the phone with him, "is Tatsuhiko home?"

"God, no!" Even after phone sex Chuuya managed to sound agitated. "Of course not! I wouldn't have agreed to do this otherwise."

"Perfect," Dazai grinned shamelessly. "Love you, Chuuya. See you in a bit." If it were physically possible there would have been a heart at the end of his sentence.

"Love you too, but wait what are..." Dazai hung up before his lover could question him any further.

"Bastard, why'd he hang up all of a sudden?" Chuuya set his phone down so he could grab something to clean up with. While he wiped himself off he happened to remember the penalty game. "Shit! How did I forget about that already?"

Dazai was on his way to do more naughty, unspeakable things to him. The pressure gradually built back up in his body. The towel passing over a new bulge. He shuddered from the slight pressure the contact alone sent up his spine.

"I don't know that I'm mentally prepared, but apparently I'm physically prepared," Chuuya sighed despite being ready to give into every single one of Dazai's whims.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Annnnd... Here it is! The epilogue! This story is officially over, and of course I had to end it on a sexy note~ Sorry if it seemed rushed at all. For as many fanfictions that I have written, that was the first time I wrote anything related to phone sex. All of my other stories featured the two characters going at it together in the same room. lol To anyone that stuck around for the whole entire story, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart ~3 When I decided to write fanfiction based on a few pieces of fanart I had no clue where this story was going to go, but I'm glad everything happened the way it did. I'll be taking a break from writing fanfiction because of how busy my schedule is proving. So for now farewell, but I hope to see everyone again in my next work (whenever that's going to be).**


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